The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a delivery system for racks that hold information handling systems.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems such as, for example, servers, networking devices, storage systems, and/or other devices known in the art, are sometimes used in racks that house multiple devices that are coupled to each other as well as devices in other racks. Some of those racks are relatively tall to enable the rack to house a relatively large number of devices. For example, conventional 42 unit (42 U) racks may be up to 7 feet tall, and other rack types can exceed that height. The shipping and delivery of such racks can raise a number of issues. Conventional rack delivery systems typically involve rigidly mounting the rack to a shipping pallet (e.g., via brackets secured to the shipping pallet and bottom of the rack) that provides a wider base than the rack and increases the tip angle of the rack to reduce the chances of the rack tipping during shipping and delivery.
However, in addition to tipping, other concerns arise during rack shipping and delivery. For example, racks may be subject to relatively high forces during shipping and delivery that can damage the rack and/or components in the rack, which may be shipped and delivered with up to $1 million US dollars of equipment. Conventional solutions to dealing with such forces during rack delivery and shipping have included the use of foam as a layer in the shipping pallet (sometimes referred to as a “shock pallet”) that is configured to absorb vertical forces that may be induced during delivery (e.g., in a truck or other delivery vehicle) and transmitted to the shipping pallet. However, it has been found that racks may experience significant horizontal motion that can provide damaging forces on the rack as well. For example, forces induced by the rack delivery vehicle during rack shipping and delivery are typically transmitted to the bottom portion of the rack (e.g., at the mounting location to the shipping pallet), and have been found to introduce significant horizontal motion at the unconstrained top portion of the rack, which can result in bending of structural members in the rack, seizing of rack casters, and in extreme cases, rack component damage.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved rack delivery system.